But shortly after starting the blaze in Bradbury Close, Norton, she called 999 to report it. She told the call handler: “I set the house alight.”

Clarke then rang her teenage son, whom she had sent to a nearby shop. He returned home to find the fire and ran to get help from his cousin and her partner. They tried to get inside to put out the blaze, but the property quickly became engulfed in flames.

Now the 43-year-old defendant has been jailed for 32 months after admitting arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, Stoke-on-Trent Live reports .

The court was told Clarke had a long history of mental health problems and had been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder and an emotionally unstable personality disorder.

But the catalyst for her desperate actions on November 5 was the sad death of her own mother nine days earlier.

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She had called the specialist NHS-run Greenfields Centre, in Tunstall, to express suicidal thoughts shortly before starting the blaze. Her family claim she didn’t receive the support she needed.

At around 5.10pm, Clarke used a lighter to ignite paper and drop it in a waste paper basket in the living room. She then called the fire service.

(Image: Stoke Sentinel)

Dean Easthope, prosecuting, said: “On arrival, there were flames coming out of the window, licking over the roof.”

Luckily, there was little wind and so the flames travelled upwards rather than into neighbouring homes. But several other properties were smoke-logged. Clarke’s two-bedroom home was extensively damaged.

“The ground floor was gutted, as was the hall, stairs and landing,” added Mr Easthope. “The whole property required plastering and electrical rewiring, as well as a new kitchen.”

Jason Holt, mitigating, said: “The catalyst was a significant depressive episode. It was very much a cry for help.”

(Image: Stoke Sentinel)

He told the court that Clarke had a ‘very supportive family’. “They were attempting to engage services to try and get some help,” he said.

Sentencing her, Judge Paul Glenn acknowledged she had psychiatric problems and had a history of self-harm.

Although Clarke had no previous convictions, she had started a number of fires in the past. On one occasion, she had set a mattress alight while an inpatient in hospital.

Judge Glenn told her: “This was an extremely serious offence. I’m satisfied you had no intention to harm others, but what you did was highly reckless and could have had catastrophic consequences.

“You did call for assistance. It’s quite clear that you came to your senses and had cold feet.”